E3 2007: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

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It's so good to be so bad.

By Steve Butts

Of all the games we wanted to see at E3, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was definitely near the very top of the list. The next chapter in the Star Wars saga looks to be one of the most exciting Star Wars experiences in the last few years. Players will get the chance to fill the shoes of Darth Vader's apprentice between the prequel and original trilogies. As Vader's apprentice, you'll help the Sith Lord hunt down Jedi across the galaxy -- although to be fair, it seems like you spend most of your time flinging stormtroopers around.

We first saw the game in an ambitious and completely enthralling tech demo last year. At E3 this year, the game is only present in the form of a short but exciting trailer that shows off some of the amazing new technical effects allowed by the extreme Force powers you'll get a chance to use.

The game makes use of a variety of new technologies but is built on the twin pillars of a Digital Molecular Matter system and Natural Motion's Euphoria. The former is a technology that ensures that materials in the game work according to real world physics. Shatter a piece of glass or wood and it splinters apart realistically. Last year we saw a variety of materials, from rubber to jelly to wood to ice and each one responded to physical attacks in ways that were amazingly realistic.

The Euphoria tech imparts each character model with a simulated nervous system that drives their animations. This new tech gives allows each character to move with a real purpose based on their sense of self-preservation. Toss a stormtrooper up in the air and he'll scramble for something to hold on to. It might sound like a small thing but when you see it in action it's undeniably exciting.

We finally got to see it working in a game context courtesy of a brand new cinematic. It begins with a large Star Destroyer flying over a crowded city. It begins to dip and list a bit before taking a nose dive into the streets. As the camera pans down with the falling Star Destroyer, the camera reveals a black-robed figure standing on the ground. The Star Destroyer plows into the ground and the black figure uses his Force powers to stop the giant ship before it slams into him. A red lightsaber springs to life in his hands.

This is going to be good.

From here the movie shows a fast montage of the hyper-powered Force usage that characterizes the game. The Sith manages to show just how superfluous a lightsaber can be for someone who has full mastery of the Dark Side of the Force. Using a variety of lightning and push attacks, the Sith manages to take on entire armies of stormtroopers without breaking a sweat.

Two particular scenes really show off the new technologies running in real time. In one the Sith floats above the ground in a large room filled with stormtroopers and huge glass panels. As he gathers his powers together he unleashes his fury in a massive Force blast that explodes out in every direction. The DMM effects show the glass flying apart in millions of tiny shards as the stormtroopers fly in every direction.

The Euphoria tech is better shown as the Sith tosses stormtroopers off a large platform that looks like it's located near Cloud City. As the stormtroopers are lifted into the air, the Euphoria-driven self-preservation takes over and they reach out for anything that might save them. One manages to grab hold of a barrel but his efforts prove futile as the barrel is simply lifted up in the air with him.

In all Force Unleashed looks to be one of the more exciting action games of this generation. With the combination of realistic new technologies, hyper-powered Force abilities and the Dark Side of the Star Wars license, Force Unleashed is definitely on our list of must-play games of next year.